Comb



Patented Mar. 25, 1941 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 29,

4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in combs. Y

An object of my rinvention is to provide a novel type of parting tooth diifering from the standard comb teeth and having a plow-like action adapted to form a parting line, no matter where located on the comb.

While I am aware that others have provided combs having various types of enlarged parting teeth, so far as I am aware no one has provided a comb with a parting tooth having a plow-like .action of the type employed by me, said parting vtooth being generally shaped in the form of a t `plow and being triangular in horizontal section and preferably with the walls of said triangle valso converging substantially to a parting tip substantially at the front of the lower end thereof, so that the tip may project downwardly Ibetween the individual hairs to provide a true parting line, permitting the parting tooth to provide a point and apex even if tilted forwardly or backwardly, as is often done in combing the hair.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel type of parting tooth which may be located at any desired position on the comb, either at the end thereof to supplement the endwise action of a comb, often employed to provide a parting line, or centrally thereof to provide a parting line as the comb is combed forwards or backwards.

A further feature of one embodiment of my invention, however, is to locate my improved parting tooth with groups of the regular row of aligned teeth on each side thereof, preferably with the parting tooth located centrally thereof to have similar groups of an equal number of teeth on each side thereof projecting downwardly not at right angles to the plane of the comb, but with walls substantially parallel to the respective side walls of the parting tooth and similarly inclined relative to a perpendicular to the comb as the forwardly tapering walls of said parting tooth to provide groups of oppositely inclined parallel grooves between them extending laterallykon each side of each parting tooth.

An object of this type of construction is to provide a supplemental inclined harrowing action in addition to the plow-like action of the parting tooth to guide the hairs obliquely laterally from said parting tooth so that they may be more easily reached by the comb or brush in laying them in directions generally perpendicular to 1940, serial No. 326,112 (o1. 13a-is) the parting line. desired, however, it is possible to regulate the walls of the parting tooth and vthe inclined teeth to provide a parted head of hair by a single motion of the comb with the hairs projecting obliquely laterally at the desired angle from the parting line.

A further object of this embodiment of my' invention where the groups of inclined teeth are employed on each side of the parting tooth, is to provide a Acomb having a certain amount of curling action on the hairs as being laid.

A further object of my invention is to provide a comb with the advantages described above which may be readily molded or fabricated in as simple a fashion as the standard molding or manufacturing of a standard type of comb.

These and such other objects of my invention Aas may hereinafter appear will be best undertion wherein the groups of standard teeth on each side ofthe parting tooth are inclined at diiferent angles adjacent the parting tooth and are arranged inthe usual shape of comb teeth perpendicular to the comb at the outer ends of each group thereof.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of a scalp showing a portion ora comb constructed as shown in Figs.- 4-5 in the act of Should an oblique part be plowing a parting lineas the comb is brought forwardly or rearwardly over the scalp inclined relative thereto. y

Fig. rlis a slide elevation of an end portion of a differenty embodiment of my invention having my improved parting tooth located as the end tooth of the comb with its apex facing inwardly.

Fig. 8 is a reverse plan view of the portion of the embodiment of comb shown in Fig. 7.

In the drawing, wherein like characters of reference indicate lilge,v parts: throughout., l0, Ill.'

and I" generally indicate embodiments of combs constructed in accordance with my invention.

Each embodiment of comb has teeth projecting downwardly from the upper portion I2, I2' and I2 thereof, one of said teeth comprising a parting tooth I4, I4' or I4" and my invention specifically relates to the construction of such a parting tooth which I preferably employ. The parting tooth is of solid triangle formation, has a rear wall I 6, I6' and I6 comprising a triangle base and preferably equi-lateral side walls I3, I8 or I8 tapering forwardly substantially to a front apex line 20, 20' or 20, said side walls I8, I8' and I8" tapering forwardly at at least :20 from the perpendicular to the comb, in the embodiment shown substantially at 30. Said solid triangle extends downwardly substantially to the lower end of said tooth. In the preferred embodiments shown, the lower ends of the walls of said triangle converge as at 22, 22 or 22" for the edges of the triangle base I4, I4' or I4" thereof and as at 23, 23 or 23" for the lower end of said triangle base itself and as at 24, 24 or 24" for the lower ends of each of the side walls I8, I8 or I8, substantially to a parting tip or point 26, 2E' or 26" substantially at the lower end thereof, as it is desirable to have the parting tooth terminate at a point to separate the individual hairs, whether the comb be held 90 to the scalp as it passes thereover, or inclined relative thereto, as shown in Fig. 6. If the comb be inclined backwards while parting the hair 30 on the scalp 32 as shown in Fig. 6, it is obvious that the point 2E will separate the roots of the individual hairs adjacent the lscalp and that the inclined side walls thereof will separate the portions of the hairs above the roots obliquely laterally as shown at 34 therein to provide the parting line 36 in rear of the apex 20 of said tooth. If the comb is tilted backwards, as suggested in Fig. 6, it is obvious that the pointed triangular apex 23 will lie at on Vthe scalp, as shown in Fig. 6 to assist in the plow-like action. In addition to the parting tooth I4, I4 or I4", supplemental teeth 38 or 38 or 3S" of the standard type are preferably provided to make up the comb which may be aligned as usual in a row 40, 40 or 40". In the preferred embodiments of my invention shown in Figs. 15, however, groups 320a and 38h of teeth are located on each side of said parting tooth, the teeth of each group having side walls 42a and 42b substantially parallel to the respective side walls I8 of said parting tooth and similarly inclined, to provide groups of oppositely inclined parallel grooves 44EL and 44b between them for curling the hairs and urging them in opposite directions obliquely outwardly from said parting tooth I4, this action being suggested by the hairs 30 and 34 shown in Fig. 4, the hairs 34 extending obliquely outwardly after passing through the respective grooves or passages 44a and 44h between the respective teeth of each group 38a and 38b and the respective side walls I8 of said parting tooth. It is apparent that these groups tend to lay all hairs on each side of the parting line 3G at an angle corresponding in Obliquity to the amount that the respective side walls of said respective teeth are inclined. It is then obvious that if it be desired to brush the hair to substantially 90 from the parting line 36 that the hairs may be readily picked up by a brush and so moved to be readily laid in this direction. As suggested in Fig. 6 a single movement of the comb forward over the hair is sufficient to provide the parting line 36 with the hairs extending obliquely from said parting line a's at 34 throughout the desired portion of the' scalp reached by the comb so that they may be readily picked up and moved at a greater angle to the parting line by a single action of a brush if desired. The movement of the hairs through the respective passages 44a and 44b as illustrated centrally of Fig. 4 and as suggested as at 35 at a side thereof functions to impart a curling or crinkling effect to the hairs passed through the respective passageways. As stated previously, the respective groups of inclined teeth 38a and 38D function in supplement to the plowlike action of the parting tooth I4 as inclined harrows to urge the hairs obliquely outwardly from the parting line and additionally function to aid in providing a curling or crinkling effect to the hair.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. the grooves 44a and 44h are not similarly inclined all the way out, but each successive groove 44a' and 44h may be inclined outwardly lesser amounts from the center tooth I4' until the teeth in the respective groups are substantially at right angles to the comb as the exterior teeth 4E shown therein. Thus a comb may be provided with groups of inclined teeth near the center thereof to function in accordance with my invention and groups of standard teeth exterior thereof to function in the ordinary fashion.

I have shown in Figs. 7 and 8 an embodiment of my invention employing my improved parting tooth I4" in which the triangle base I6" is located at the end surface of the comb and in which the side walls I8" thereof taper inwardly towards the usual row 40" of standard aligned comb teeth 38 arranged as usual perpendicular to the comb, to a front apex line 20" facing said row of teeth. It has been standard practice to use the edge of the comb to make a parting line and a comb constructed in accordance with the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8 functions in similar manner to provide a better parting line.

It is apparent that I have provided a novel type of comb having a novel type of parting tooth which may be employed alone or in association with groups of obliquely inclined teeth in the manner shown with the advantages described above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specic embodiments shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A comb having teeth projecting downwardly from the upper portion thereof comprising a central parting tooth triangular in section substantially throughout the height thereof having a rear wall comprising a triangle base and equilateral side walls converging forwardly substantially to a front apex line at at least 20 from the perpendicular to the comb with the rear and side walls of said triangle converging downwardly near the lower end thereof to a parting tip at the front of the lower end thereof and groups of teeth on each side of said parting tooth, each group having side walls substantially parallel to the respective side walls of said parting tooth and similarly inclined, providing groups of oppositely inclined parallel grooves between them for curling the hairs and urging them in opposite directions obliquely outwardly from said parting tooth.

2. A comb having teeth projecting downwardly from the upper portion thereof comprising a parting tooth triangular in section substantially throughout the height thereof having a rear wall comprising a triangle base and equilateral side walls converging forwardly substantially to a front apex line at at least 20 from the perpendicular to the comb with the rear and side walls of said triangle converging downwardly near the lower end thereof to a parting tip at the front of the lower end thereof and supplemental teeth associated with said parting tooth to provide a comb.

3. A comb having a parting tooth triangular in section substantially throughout the height thereof projecting downwardly from the upper portion thereof having a rear wall comprising a triangle base and equlateral side walls converging forwardly substantially to a front apex line at at least 20 from the perpendicular to said tooth with the rear and side walls of said triangle converging downwardly near the lower end thereof to a parting tip at the front of the lower end thereof.

4. A comb having teeth projecting downwardly from the upper portion thereof comprising a row of aligned teeth and an end tooth triangular in section substantially throughout the height thereof comprising a parting tooth have a rear wall comprising a triangle base at the end surface of said comb and equilateral side walls converging inwardly towards said row of aligned teeth substantially to a front apex line and with the side and end walls of said triangle converging downwardly near the lower end thereof to a parting tip at the front of the lower end thereof.

JOHN GIACOMO PUCCI. 

